1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to hand held writing instrument holders, more specifically to those holders designed for persons with writing disabilities and handicaps, that offer more writing comfort and alternative methods of holding and applying pressure control to a narrow instrument other than the conventional use of the thumb, index and middle finger of the writing hand.
2. Description of Prior Art
There are many people who have difficulty holding and using writing instruments or can not use them because of limited, varying, or minimal hand or finger gripping ability. This may be the result of a number of conditions ranging from brain impairment to severe cases of arthritis of the hand, digital deformities, missing fingers, or merely a single sprained, cut, broken or cramped finger or hand. Hand injuries are very common among younger persons, as is arthritis to the older population. It has been found through AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) research that Arthritis, or inflammation of the joints is the most common condition affecting people in the United States. Inflammation of the finger joints will affect functionality to varying degrees from a mild pain causing discomfort from the prolonged holding and use of a writing instrument, to the more severe form of Arthritis which may cause a deformity of the fingers rendering them misshapen for pratical use in grasping or holding a narrow object using the conventional three fingers in applying pressure for the control of an instrument. Due to the wide range of needs it is not an easy or practical task to design a device which will take into account the variety and shapes of support needed to accommodate every instance of hand or finger injury or deformity. No such device has been made readily available for everyday use, nor is there a device that does give the appearance in use of a prosthetic device used by "cripples", that is simple and common, that is inexpensive to manufacture to the extent that it might be a "use and throw away" off-the-shelf disposable item, as common as a pen or pencil.
A number of devices have been patented which resolve a very specific comfort range, or type of impairment or designated task such as:
"Implement Holding Cuff" by Bischoff et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,602,885 July, 1986 which is designed for the physically handicapped and will contain their hand, fingers, and instrument within a controllable cage or cuff to cradle a non functioning hand.
"Rolling Support For Writing Instruments" of Russell A. Schroeder, Jr. U.S. Pat. No. 2,497,418 February, 1950 whose rolling hand rest writing device which must be in contact with the writing surface, is not a hand held device, and concentrates on those with total digital impairment or hand paralysis shifting the emphasis to arm and shoulder control for writing ability.
The J. F. Hume, U.S. Pat. No. 1,438,114 December, 1922 "Writing Implement" whole hand palm size sliding ball with embedded pen designed to teach proper penmanship while supporting the hand, and assumes that normal digital control exists.
The patent of H. G. Eastman, U.S. Pat. No. 78,655 issued June, 1868 "Improvement In Pen Holders" employs a unique egg shaped palm rest coupled with slip in finger holders for the correct positioning of the pen, but the design makes no allowance for pressure of the palm to aid in the writing process, nor for non-finger use, or for other than gripping the instrument by conventional methods.
The "Tool Holding Appliance" Winter et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,606,484 issued Aug. 19, 1986 utilizes a device which is strapped on to the palm of the hand and holds very specifically designed tools and utensils and intended for persons with limited hand mobility. A more significant invention in this field, by Brody, U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,781 issued Jun. 18, 1985 was specifically designed for those persons suffering from arthritis and others having reduced gripping ability. Brody's design, a palm size, barrel shaped clam shell type instrument holder is meant to be held and manipulated within the palm of the hand, and lacking any digital dexterity at all, the device can be strapped onto the hand. Brody's design assumes that a normal "palm" or open palm does exist and has limited application for controlled downward pressure through other than the attachable hand strap or gripping of the barrel, and does not make allowances for more adaptable hand positioning as the individual deformity may require for comfort or for unorthodox use of those parts of the hand such as the "V" joints between fingers, or the palm and inner finger joint only, without the use of the actual fingers, or the use of any two desired fingers however closely or widely spaced, or unbending fingers that may still be usable for downward pressure and control of a writing instrument.
There are other numerous patented writing instrument holders which tie on, strap on, or slip on or through, but again, each to overcome a specific infirmity or add a degree of ease and comfort. Based on prior art then, no hand held writing instrument holder device is available that has the adaptability of my writing instrument holder, or offers the many simultaneous combinations as is needed by the user, the many compound vertical, horizontal, beveled, rounded, concave, convex or volute surfaces for variable open finger grasping positions, or degree of control from parts of the finger exerting pressure and manipulation, or the capability of using the palm of the hand in conjunction with an opposing member in an unorthodox manner for holding and guiding a writing instrument or other, providing the restoration of writing abilities, even though minimal prehensile ability exists and absolutely unorthodox, highly individualized methods are called for and employed.